Author: Mark Lowey

Nova Scotia researchers to test whether UV light reduces COVID-19 at long-term care homes

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Nova Scotia researchers are launching a $1.7-million project to test whether ultraviolet (UV) lights installed in long-term care facilities will reduce COVID-19 and other infections among residents. Previous studies have shown that germicidal UV light effectively kills seasonal coronaviruses, and there are now Canadian companies selling UV light disinfection systems.

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Calgary vaccine developer reaches deal with Manitoba government after hearing no response from Ottawa

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Providence Therapeutics, a Calgary biotechnology company in human trials with its COVID-19 vaccine, struck a supply deal with the Government of Manitoba after sending the federal government a proposal and receiving no response. In a video, Providence founder and CEO Brad Sorenson criticized Ottawa’s “apathetic response” as “unacceptable” and he implored the government to take initiative to establish a secure domestic vaccine supply.

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Analysis: Updated mandate for federal innovation minister shows a Prime Minister preoccupied with COVID-19

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is much more focused on his government’s response to COVID-19 than on science and innovation priorities, judging by the PM’s updated mandate letter to the minister of innovation. The letter mentions the world “innovation” once, compared with more than a half-dozen references to COVID-19 and the federal response to the pandemic

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Canada’s deep-sea science imperiled by outdated research ships, say scientists

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Canadian scientists are no longer able to do cutting-edge deep-sea research off Canada’s coasts because of outdated and unreliable research vessels, say co-chairs of the National Research Vessel Task Team. As a stop-gap measure, the group is proposing the development of modular ocean research infrastructure (MORI) that could be deployed on industry ships and other non-specialized vessels.

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Canada’s first patent collective launched with defensive “war chest” to protect Canadian IP

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Canada has launched its first patent collective to help data-driven clean tech companies understand, generate and strategically use intellectual property in scaling up. The Innovation Asset Collective, backed by $30 million in federal funding, includes a defensive “war chest” to help Canadian SMEs defend their patents in an often predatory global IP marketplace.

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